Traffic signal



June 3, 1930. BA CURRLlN 1,761,519

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed June 5,` 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l l Lz?, I

June 3, 1930. B` CURRUNl 1,761,519

TRAFFIC S I GNAL Filed June 5. 1923 z Smets-sheet 2 INVNTE] PatentedJune l3, 1930 PATENT orifice'.y

BERNARD CURBLIN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO y V Tanino; SIGNAL applicati@ mea runea, 1923. serial 33.143.515.

This invention relates 4to traiiic signale-s,

more especially of the type to be electrically` controlled.

This invention has utility when incorporated in visible signals'forindicating direction, speed .or location of a vehicle.

Referring to the drawings: v Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a motorvehicle having incorporated therewith an eml@ bodimentof the invention;Y

Fig. 2 is a detail View, on an enlarged scale of the display portion ofthe signal as carried by the fender in Fig.. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the l5 device of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view ofthe pedal control switch;

Fig. 5 is a plan of additional control switchesas carried from thesteering column; Y Fig. 6-is a side elevation, with parts broken away, othe switches at the steering column;

` Fig. y `.is a wiring diagram; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view ofan installation wherein provision is madefor steering wheel.cutout even though the cut-in for direction becarried elsewhere, as on the dash or lcontrol board.

' Motor vehicle 1 isprovided with steering column 2 surmounted withsteering wheel 3 having-spider or spoke arms 4. At the drivers station 5adjacent the steering wheel, thereis provided brake pedal 6 and clutchpedal 7 protruding upward 'from floor board 8. Beneath the driversstation or seat. 5 is battery 6.

On rear left fender 7 by means of bolts 8 vis mounted bracket 9 havingupwardly extending portion with which may be xed by bolt 10 an arm. 11.`This arm 11 in its adjustable direction position extends to mainsupport 12 extendlng transversely of the fender 7 This arm 11 isVconnected to this support 12 by bolt 13. Bolts 14 anchor central housingsection 15, and terminalhousing sections 16, 17, with this support 12.These housing sections are similar, terminating forwardly and rearwardlyin seats 18 for spring rings 19 to coact with red lens 20 in the forwardand rear portions of the housing section 15. The rings 19, as coactingwith the seats 18 of the housing sectionsl, 17 mount lenses 21 in therespective seats 18.l These lenses 21, each` disclose a green arrow headdirected away from the housing section 15, as direction disclosingmeans, while the lens 20 may Abe used as a location or speed disclosingmeans. These housing sections 15, 16, 17, as herein disclosed are oftubular form, drawn or stamped from sheet metal, and compacted for snugassembly, by slightly squaring or giving a somewhat rectangularcross-section to the tubular members 15, 16, 17. A y

From the lower side, each of these housing sections has mounted thereina socket 22 for disposing centrally in such housing section incandescentelectriclight bulb 23. These sockets 22 are of double form, the outer orlower ends receiving plugs 24 for conductor lines 25, 26, 27,respectively. The opposite sides or terminals of the sockets ground withthe support 12 and therethrough with the car 1.

Beneath the footboard or floorboard 8 or some other convenient locationbolts through openings28 in ears 29V from insulation box 30, may mountthis box 30 so that plunger 31, therein as normally thrown by helicalcompression spring 32,

lmay have its protruding stem 33 connected to tension helical spring 34having` connections 35, 36, tothe brake pedal lever 6 and the clutchpedal lever 7. Accordingly,I as either pedal is thrust forward, there isa. pull on the spring 34, tending to compress the spring 32 in the box30, and draw the plunger 31 between terminals 37, 38, to connect theline 25 from the central housing section 15 to line 39 extending to thebattery 6. Thus, as either 'clutch or brake pedal is thrown, the lamp 23in the housing section 15 is luminous to display red through the lenses20, both front and rearward, as an indication that a change of speed isbeing made by the driver at station 5. At once the situation isresumedpin which both pedals 6, 7, are released, the spring 32 thruststhe plunger 31 clear of the terminals 37, 38, and the housing 15 isdarkened.

At the steering wheel 3, set screw 40, from overhanging arm 41 or box42, anchorsthis box with spider arm 4 of the steering wheel 3. This box42 in its upper side has slot 43 through which protrudes handle 44carried by pivot pin 45. Rocked toward the column 2, this handle 44, iseffective through offset shoe portion 46 (Fig. 5), to depress s ringsteel arm 47 into contact with termin s 48, 49. The terminal 49 hascontact 50, which in a Y central'range of direction travel for the velohicle as controlled by the'steering wheel 3, engages shoe 51, helagainst the contact 50 by spring arm 52 mounted by clamp 53 upon thecolumn 2 and insulated therefrom by 1nsulation 54. This clamp 53 isanchored by bolt 55, serving as a terminal for wire 56 from the battery6. This direction indication throwin of the handle 44 accordinglybecomes eective for signal display, through the arm 47 closing circuitfrom the battery zo 6'; to terminal 57, to pass thence through coil 58,terminal 59, and line 60 to the line 25, for lighting u the bulb 23 inthe central housing for r display from the lenses 20. The energizing ofthe coil 58 renders its core 61 efz5 fective forholding the arm 47depressed notwithstanding the driver of the vehicle may only tilt thehandle 44 for a brief interval. The line 26 extends to the terminal 48,and

accordingly simultaneously with this central red light display from thehousin 15, the green arrow in the housin 16, both ont and rear, isilluminated by its ulb 23, to give visible indication that the drivercontemplates turning to the right, notwithstanding the vehicle is atrest, or is still running straight `ahead. As the steering wheel 3 isVturned as to the column 2 in effec the elected turning, the contactrides o the shoe 51, and the circuit to the coil or solenoid 58 isbroken,

u the magnet de-energized, both red and green lights be' cut-out so faras the steering post control switches. This release for automaticresetting occurs without any attention whatsoever upon thepart of thedriver.

If the direction of travel be to the left, opposite tilt' of the handle44, brings shoe portion 62u`ig. 5) oppositely oii'set from the shoertion 46, against spring magnetizable met arm 63 thereby thrown downwardto 50 contact with the terminal 49, and terminal 64, to which the line27 from the housing 17 extends. This means that there is energizin ofthe solenoid 58 with lighting up of the re housing 15 and the leftdirection pointing green arrows in the housing section 17. As the drivereiects such direction turning of the steering wheel 3, the contact 50rides off the opposite end of the shoe 51 from the other turnindirection; and as such riding oii' ocoo curs, t e lights are out and theparts are reset automatically for the subsequent signall' operation.

mt is thus seen there are two modes of li hting the bulb23inthehousin15. Hereint ere 65 is provided a third way of ghting such bulb 23 in thehousing 15-for parking purposes. From the terminal 49 rises a spring arm65, with a narrow outwardly extending catch gortion 66 protruding fromthe housing 42.

y forcing the portion 66 into the housing 42 to have the catch ortionthereof engage with such housing, the roadened top portion 65 of thespring arm connects the terminal 49 with the spring arms47, 63,independently of such arms closing circuit with either terminal 48 or64. In fact this arm 65 so holds the arms 47, 63, that direction signalsin the housin s 16, 17, may not be'operated, but the red lig t housing15 is illuminated, say for use as a parking signal when the vehicle isat rest. Tore-establish the installation for traffic direction and speeduses, the catch portion 66 is freed to spring out of the housing42,'fextinguishing the light in the housing section 15. This means thedriver must cut out parking use before he may use traiiic signals and sothus avoid mixing signals.

The degree of Visibility of the green is not so great as with red. Asgreen is a simple distinguishing color for direction indication, itsimportance as a warning may be less liable to being ignored, when thedirection green is accompanied by the warning red, as herein. In acompact structure, there is thus disclosed a full range of trafficsignals. The red will be disclosed at a turn whether or not there bebrake or clutch operation andsuch multiple c ut-inworkings do notdisturb the controls as set forth.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vehicle signalling system; a stop signal; adirection signal; asignal controlling switch comprising a depressible contactor of'magneticmaterial; a stationary and a movable, but normally stationary, contactarranged to be engaged by the depressible contactor; electro-magneticmeans supported in operative relation with the depressible contactor;means for movin one of the contacts 'into engagement with t edepressible contactor in its normally open position, and

means for locking the contact thus moved, in its moved position wherebythe stop signal maybe separately and continuously illumina'ted; a switchconnected with the steering mechanism of the Vehicle arranged Ato beclosed when the vehicle is steered in a for- Ward direction and openedwhen the vehicle is steered in either turning direction; a source ofcurrent and connectlng means between said source, the signal and theswitches, whereby a stop and direction signal is illuminated ,upon thedepression of the depressible conthrough the opening of.

light; two direction signals; a edal operated switch to illuminate thestop ght; a direction signal controlling switch comprising twodepressible contactors of magnetic material;

two stationary and one movable, but normally stationary, contactsarranged to be engaged by the depressible contactors; electromagneticmeans supported in operative relation with the depressible contactors;means for moving one of the contacts into engagef ment with thedepressible contactors in their normally open position, and means forlocking the contact thus moved, in its moved position; a switchconnected with the steering mechanism of the vehicle arranged to beclosed when the vehicle is steered in a forward direction and openedwhen the vehicle is steered in either turning direction; a source ofcurrent and connecting. means between said source, the signals and theswitches, whereby the stop light is illuminated upon normal actuation ofthe pedal; the stop light and a direction signal illuminated upon thedepression of either of the depressible contact members7 said stop anddirection signals remaining illuminated through the magnetic interactionof the depressible members and the electro-magnetic means, until thecircuit is interrupted through the open'ing of the steering wheeloperated switch, and whereby the stop signal may be separately andcontinuously illuminated by locking the movable Contact into engagementwith the depressible contacts.

In witness whereof I aix my signature.

BERNARD CURRLIN.

